“My pre-sessional course helps me to be well acquainted with all academic skills related to being a PhD researcher such as critical thinking, reading and writing, being an independent learner and researcher, summarising, paraphrasing and synthesising.”
Entry requirements and how to apply
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update
Online delivery
In Term 2 (January to March 2021) and Term 3 (March to June 2021) this course will be taught online in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. You'll be able to study your pre-sessional course from home, you won't be expected to study live online sessions at night and you won't need a visa.
We'll continue to review our courses for Term 4 (July to August 2021), with the possibility of on-campus teaching.
If you have applied for a pre-sessional English course, please read our pre-sessional English FAQs.
Visit our coronavirus website for all other updates and information.
Entry requirements and how to apply
Entry requirements for our academic English for postgraduate studies pre-sessional course depend on:
- your current English language level
- the English language requirement for your postgraduate degree
Select your year of entry and use the table to give you an idea of how long you might need to study pre-sessional English for.
If you start your pre-sessional course in July or August (Term 4), find out more about entry requirements for our six and
2020/21 entry
If you're starting your pre-sessional course in October 2020, January or March 2021 (Terms 1-3), use the following table to check your eligibility.
If you're a postgraduate researcher starting a six or 10 week pre-sessional course in the summer, you can also use this table to check your eligibility.
Select the start month to see course information and how to apply.
|
|
Required IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score for entry onto your degree |
||
---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
6.0 |
6.5 |
7.0 |
Your current IELTS score | Minimum length of pre-sessional course you should study |
|||
4.5 |
With no components below 4.0 |
30 weeks |
40 weeks Starting in: |
- |
5.0 | With no components below 4.5 |
20 weeks Starting in: |
30 weeks |
40 weeks Starting in: |
5.5 |
With components at 5.0 allowed, none below 5.0 |
20 weeks Starting in: If you have one component at 5.0 (not writing), you may be eligible to study for 10 weeks |
20 weeks Starting in: |
30 weeks |
6.0 | With one or two components at 5.5 allowed, none below 5.5 | - |
8 weeks* Starting in October or
10 weeks* Starting in:
|
20 weeks Starting in: |
6.5 |
With one or two components at 6.0 allowed, none below 6.0 | - | - |
8 weeks**
Starting in October or
10 weeks*** Starting in: |
*You'll study for 20 weeks if you hold two components at 5.5 and are preparing for:
- a taught postgraduate course in the Business School
- MSc (Eng) Engineering Project Management
- MSc (Eng) International Construction Management and Engineering
**If you're going on to study a degree which includes Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) to apply for this pre-sessional course you'll need:
- a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5
- two components below 6.0 allowed
- no components below 5.5
***You'll study for 20 weeks if you hold two components at 6.0 and are preparing for a taught postgraduate course in the Business School.
2021/22 entry
Well accept applications for pre-sessional courses in 2021/22 from Spring 2021.
Youll be able to see more detailed information about these courses in Spring 2021.
If you're starting your pre-sessional course in September 2021 or January 2022, use the following table to check your eligibility. You can study a pre-sessional for different lengths of time depending on your requirements.
In 2021/22 our academic year is made up of two semesters (autumn and spring) plus the summer. View our 2021/22 semester dates.
Your pre-sessional course will include teaching and assessment time, as well as dates the university will be closed, such as for Christmas, Easter and other public holidays.
|
|
Required IELTS score for entry onto your degree |
||
---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
6.0 |
6.5 |
7.0 |
Your current IELTS score | Minimum length of pre-sessional course you should study |
|||
5.0 | With no components below 4.5 |
Two semesters starting in September or One semester plus summer starting in January
|
Two semesters plus summer starting in September |
- |
5.5 |
With components at 5.0 allowed, none below 5.0
For a degree which includes Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL): Components at 4.5 allowed, none below 4.5 |
Two semesters starting in September
or One semester plus summer starting in January. If you have one component at 5.0 (not writing) you may be eligible to study for one semester* |
Two semesters starting in September
or One semester plus summer starting in January |
Two semesters plus summer starting in September |
6.0 | With one or two components at 5.5 allowed, none below 5.5
For TESOL: Components at 5.0 allowed, none below 5.0 |
- | One semester starting in September or January | Two semesters starting in September
or One semester plus summer starting in January |
6.5 |
With one or two components at 6.0 allowed, none below 6.0
For TESOL: One or two components at 5.5 allowed, none below 5.5 |
- |
- | One semester starting in September or January** |
*You'll study for two semesters, or one semester and summer, if you hold two components at 5.5 and are preparing for:
- a taught postgraduate course in the Business School
- MSc (Eng) Engineering Project Management
- MSc (Eng) International Construction Management and Engineering
**You'll study for two semesters, or one semester and summer, if you hold two components at 6.0 and are preparing for a taught postgraduate course in the Business School.
The minimum age to study
Further information
If you have any questions, please email langc@leeds.ac.uk.
Read our admissions policy and read our course terms and conditions.
Course: Postgraduate pre-sessional English
Preparing for: Postgraduate research